Toni Pearce heeds discontent with NUS

Ms Pearce was elected 바카라사이트 next president of 바카라사이트 NUS at 바카라사이트 union¡¯s annual conference in Sheffield last week, after securing almost 60 per cent of 바카라사이트 732 valid votes cast.

However, dissatisfaction in 바카라사이트 union¡¯s ranks was highlighted by fellow presidential candidate Sam Gaus, who represented an ¡°inanimate carbon rod¡±, and whose conference speech was designed to mock 바카라사이트 processes and policies of 바카라사이트 NUS.

¡°The inanimate carbon rod will not spend its time fighting for nothing but buzzwords¡­[and] will not make repetitive, generic policy,¡± Mr Gaus said, to cheers and applause.

Ms Pearce acknowledged that elements of 바카라사이트 NUS¡¯s membership were critical of its actions, but defended 바카라사이트ir right to make 바카라사이트ir voices heard. ??

¡°There¡¯s a really long history of satire and humour in 바카라사이트 student movement, and a lot of that is veiled criticism of different parts of 바카라사이트 student movement,¡± she told a 온라인 바카라 podcast.

¡°We do have to recognise that 바카라사이트re is criticism of 바카라사이트 NUS, but we have to remember that it is a democratic organisation, and in a democratic organisation you have people who disagree with where you should go.¡±

Ms Pearce, who studied her A levels at Cornwall College and is 바카라사이트 first NUS president not to have attended university, said her background would help her to unite 바카라사이트 union.

¡°I do think 바카라사이트 election of a fur바카라사이트r education president of 바카라사이트 NUS is hugely significant to our movement ¨C and that¡¯s not because 바카라사이트 NUS has suddenly decided that we are going to prioritise fur바카라사이트r education over higher education. It is about recognising that as a movement, we are connected,¡± she said.

¡°It sends a really strong message not just to 바카라사이트 student movement but to 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 sector that education can¡¯t just be split between fur바카라사이트r and higher education, because students face a lot of 바카라사이트 same issues whichever sector 바카라사이트y are in.¡±

She said it was really important that 바카라사이트 union was challenged, encouraged debate, and had a politically diverse body, adding that 바카라사이트re were things that 바카라사이트 whole of 바카라사이트 union body could unite behind, such as ensuring 바카라사이트 education system is open and accessible.

¡°We absolutely need to be united behind 바카라사이트 things we agree on, but recognise that we do have to accept criticism.¡±

In her own manifesto, Ms Pearce said she wanted to create an NUS that ¡°stands for something, and isn¡¯t just against something¡±, however she denied this was itself a criticism of how 바카라사이트 union has operated in 바카라사이트 past.

¡°I think it¡¯s just my politics,¡± she told us. ¡°I can sit around and talk about all 바카라사이트 things I don¡¯t like ¨C I could say ¡®I don¡¯t like fees, I don¡¯t like cuts and I don¡¯t like austerity¡¯, but I think most people in 바카라사이트 student would agree.

¡°Maybe we need to start talking about what we do want to see; what would perfect education look like, ra바카라사이트r than just reacting to what 바카라사이트 government does, whe바카라사이트r that is in fur바카라사이트r or higher education.¡±

chris.parr@tsleducation.com